Means for and method of moving buildings



Nov. 24l 1925;

O. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVING BUILDINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Jan. 8, 1925 Nav. 24, 1925. l 1,562,430

' O. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHO OF MOVING BU ILDINGS Filed Jan. 8,1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IM fhilll' 'Nimh' Alm. mi l IHM 1,562,430 o.ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVINGBUILINGS 'Filed Jan. a, v1925- 4sheets-sheet Nov. 24, 1925.

Uffa/v ALEM/vof@ Nov. 24, 1925. L 1,562,430

O. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVING BUILDINGS VFiled Jan. 8.1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0pm ALExA/vafp Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES ORION ALEXANDER, OF SOUTH AKRON, OHIO.

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVING BUILDINGS.

Application led January 8, 1925.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ORION ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at South Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Means for and Methods of MovingBuildings, of which the following is a specification, the principle ofthe invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I havecontemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from otherinventions.

My invention pertains to the art of mov- `ing buildings and moreparticularly relates to an improved method of transferring the weight ofthe building from the previous foundation, first, to a structure adaptedto travel and then after removal to a new site, redepositing the loadupon its new foundation. The invention furthermore comprehends animproved method for accomplislr ing a separating movement between theintended traveling structure and that portion of the buildingsfoundation which is to be removed along with it whereby the exertion ofa uniform lifting action may be accomplished with greater accuracyT andfacility.

So far as my knowledge extends, formed by continuous business experienceover a period of several decades, it has heretofore been the practise tobuild up a maze of cribbing under `the building, place jacks on thecribbing, longitudinal beams on the jacks, cross beams on thelongitudinal beams, needles on `the cross beams and finally wedges orshims between the needles and the foundation wall at points defining thetops of holes broken out of the foundation. Then after the weight of thebuilding had been transferred to the assembled structure following thelifting action of the jacks, tracks were placed on the cribbing, looseroller bars placed across parallel tracks and the load in turn assumedby the rollers. That meant a double operation and successive supportfirst by the composite structure including the jacks and second bystructure including the rollers preparatory to movement of the buildingto its new site. Besides, reliance upon rollers so used encounteredditliculties which were a constant source of trouble and attendant risk.The trouble could be overcome and the risk avoided only by a largenumber of trained and attentive employees, in consequence of which thelabor `cost item Serial No. 1,294.

to be reckoned has always been large. The

weight of a building is not uniformly distributed over the area which itcovers nor the load the same upon all parts of its foundation. Forinstance, there is usually less weight toward the middle of thebuilding. Because of that fact the rollers had a `perverse habit ofshifting out of place and therefore required constant watching so thatif any `became loose, due to momentarily not sharing in the support ofthe total load, they could be restored toy properly spaced position andsubstantially parallel alinement, with their axes at right angles to thedirection of the intended movement `to be given to the building.VSeveral rows of tracks were ordinarily required and the rollers of theseveral rows had to be rather closely spaced apart, from which it may berealized that the number of rollers required to be used was large. Itwas scarcely possible to anticipate which particular roller or rollersmight not stay in place to functionate properly, which explains thesource of trouble. On the, other hand, ifthe load was not uniformlysustained the risk of a local sag occurred and disruption of the wallsof the building. The object-ions to the rollers was naturally greater inproportion t0. the distance which the building was to be moved.Moreover, it is frequently desired or required, in moving a buildingfrom one site to another, that a change of elevation be effected, andmanifestly, if it were attempted to move the building along an inclinewhile supported on the rows of roller bars, the likelihood ofdisplacement of the latter became greatly multiplied.

One object of my invention is to avoid the first or temporary supportfor the building and also the employment of the lifting jacks which haveheretofore necessarily been a part Aof the apparatus. According to mypresent invention, tracks are directly established on a lower foundationand then, if the building is to be moved only a short distance, woodenblocks,ysay two and one-half inches thick, are placed thereon to carrythe superstructure and then pointed rollers of somewhat larger diameterthan the thickness of the blocks substituted for the blocks so as to beat once adapted to move the building. My preferred form improves bysubstituting for the roller ybars a series of small, but sturdy trucksinterposed between the lower track rails and the compositesuperstructure of the carriage for the entire building. The truckscomprise flanged rollers and their number and spaced relation isdependent upon the size and weight of the building. The exemplificationof the drawing discloses employment of eighteen distinct truck units. Mypreferred form even improves upon the method of cracking the foundationby an initial lifting action by employment of a series of adjustableyokes for effectingy the initial lifting action which is exerted to partthe foundation of the building approximately at a predetermined meanhorizontal plane. The drawings illustrate use of twenty-four compositeyoke units. Y

To summarize; the tracks vare first laid under the building so as toextend through holes broken out of opposite ends of its foundation, theneither some of the rollers or some of the trucks are placedon thetracks, next the longitudinal beams, cross beams and needles builtthereon and the assembled structural unit or units rolled alongpreparatory to repeating the assembly and shifting of another unit orunit-s anduntil the required number has been completed and suitably tiedtogether, following which the shims are wedged in and the adjustableyokes attached and caused to functionate.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. I is a plan section taken through the foundation of a building andshowing it prepared for support and movement after the manner of myinvention.

Fig. II is a front elevation of the lower .portion of one end of a brickbuilding, under which mechanism for performing my method appears placed.

Fig. III is an enlarged partial front elevation of Figure II. p

Fig. IV is atop plan section taken on line IV-IV of Figure III.

Fig. V is a vertical section on line V-V of Figure III.

Fig. VI is a view similar to Figure V after the building vfoundation hasbeen parted and the building lifted clear of the lower portion of itsfoundation.

Fig. VII is a top view of a modified form of lifting yoke.

Fig. VIII is a side elevation of Fig. VII. Fig. IX is an end view ofFig. VIII.

Figs. X and XI are a fragmentary plan section and a fragmentary verticalcross section respectively illustrating a modification by reason ofemployment of adifferent roller element.

Directing attention rst to Figure II, where a base l is shown to supporta foundation 2 of a building 2a; As exemplified, each end ofthefoundation 2, first has three holes 3 cut into it commencing at thebase 1 and extending upwardly to a point somewhat below the top of thefoundation 2 where the top walls of the holes are preferably cut on asubstantially horizontal plane and also preferably in the samehorizontal lane. Each side wall of the building similar y has somewhatsmaller holes 4 broken out of it, as illustrated,-each side wall beingprovided with six holes. It will be observed, upon inspection of FigureI, that the end holes 3 are alined in pairs, two at the middle and twojust inside each of the two side walls of the foundation 2, and that thesix side holes 4 in each side wall are equispaced with respect to eachother, though the two end holes are somewhat nearer the end walls of thefoundation 2. The two rows of holes 4 are alined in pairs crosswise ofthe building.

Three tracks, each comprising a pair of rails 5 are then laid upon thebase l and extend, each track through two of the alined holes 3.Designed to travel upon the tracks are truck units each of which, asbest revealed in Figure III, comprises a shaft 6 and a pair of flangedrollers 7. Mounted in any suitable manner upon the shaft 6, so as topermit rotation of the latter, is a block 8.

While the complete mainly gravitationally assembled structure,illustrated in Figure I, including interlaced longitudinal and crosswiseextending elements, of course becomes a structural unit, it comprehendsduplicated arrangements the total number of which it would be needlesscontinually to refer to in the description. Accordingly, only so much ofthe entire assembly, as appears in Figures III and IV, will becompletely described, because that will furnish a declaration of thenovel principles involved. Figures III and IV disclose two pairs oftruck units arranged one pair on each of two adjacent tracks and onetruck of each pair on the inside and outside of an end building wallrespectively. As exemplified in Figure I there are, of course, under oneend wall three pairs of trucks on three tracks and sometimes in adaptingmy invention, for instance for exceptionally heavy buildings, twoadditional tracks might be laid outside of the lateral walls. of .thebuilding, but the description of the portion shown in Figures III and IVshould suffice.

Directing attention to Figures III and I V it will be seen that theblocks 8 of each pair of the four trucks to be considered, which vpairis designed to travel on a particular needles is a specialized termknown to the art, though the needles are usually old car rails, somewhatshortened and they are so illustrated with one needle of each pair inits inverted position to save space and furnish a more even bearing.Fitted between the top surfaces of the needles and the upper walls ofthe foundation-wall-holes 3 are a pair of wedge blocks 12 and 13,purposed to exercise the function of shims and insertable in a mannerwhich will be readily understood upon inspection of Figures V and VI.The dimensions of the blocks 12 and 13 will of course be determined bythe amount of space between the tops of the needles 11 and the tops ofthe holes 3 and so that the blocks 12 and 13 may be tightly wedged intoplace.

To this stage in the proceedings a substitute sub-foundation for thebuilding will have been established, but the load of the building willnot yet have been transferred thereto, nor will that be possible untilthe foundation 2 has been parted to create the line of break so markedin Figure III. In order to effect the line of break in the foundation 2close to the horizontal plane, in which the upper surfaces of the blocks13 originally lay, I employ adjustable yoke units which will next bedescribed, but since four duplicate yoke structures are disclosed inFigure IV it will not be necessary to describe more than one.

Each `complete adjustable yoke 01 individual lifting unit comprises apair of bars 1-1 located along opposite sides'of the longitudinal beams9 and. extending underneath the crossbeams 10 with each end projectingbeyond the 'base of the beam 10. Each bar la has its middle portionformed as a raised boss 15 having a fiat upper surface adapted to engagethe under surface of the crossbeam 10. Four bolts 16 are passed upwardlythrough suitable holes in the four ends of the two bars 1-t respectivelyand each vbolt carries a nut 17. Two other bars 18 extend across andproject beyond longitudinal beams 9, one` on each side of the crossbeam10. The bars 18 are similarly provided at their middle with bosses 19which project downwardly instead of upwardly and rest upon thelongitudinal beams 9. The bars 14 and 18 have both ends slotted asindicated by the reference numeral 2() so that an interjacent sectionoi'A the shank of each bolt may be caused to occupy one of the slots. Aright-hand turning of the four nuts 17 will draw the heads of the boltsand hence the bars 14. upwardly thereby raising the crossbeam 10 off ofthe longitudinal beam 9, or 'from the position in which the crossbeam 10is shown in Figure V to the ily effected by suitable cablesdrawn for-Award in any desired manner, as by winding about a windlass. 4It will beunderstood that by suitably proportioning the height of the loading'structure according to a predetermined establishment of the rails 5 onan ineline, the building may be just as readily moved to higher or lowerelevation.

Figures VIII, IX and X pertain to a. modification of the adjustable yokeappliance involving the use of wrought iron forks 21 in place of thecastings 14, each fork being provided with a depending boss 22. Bolts 23pass between the arms of the forks 21 and cooperate with nuts 24- andflanged washers 25.

Figures X and XI pertain to a modification in respect to another elementemployed in practising my invention, roller bars 26 being substitutedfor the truck units. As mentioned at the beginning ot' thisspecification, the use of roller bars is old, but they have never beforebeen used on tracks occupying the lowermost supporting position. lVhilethe roller bars 26 are not as satisfactory as the trucks for the longcarries, they are quite satisfactory for short distances and have theadvantage of being less expensive, lighter and therefore easy to handle.I provide roller bars pointed at one end 27, which enables me todispense with the use of an equivalent to my adjustable yoke unitsaccording to the following procedure. IVooden blocks are firstinterposed between the tracks 5 and longitudinal I-beanis 9 and afterthe entire structure has been assembled under the building the rollerbars 26, which are somewhat thicker,

Asay, one-half inch, are driven in, in substitution for the blocks (notshown) and the substitution of the required number of roller bars exertsan upward pressure sutiicient toy break the foundation walls. The pointends 27 are, of course, to facilitate driving the roller bars 26 intoposition. This procedure has also been in successful commercialoperation.

I claim:

1. In a method of moving a building resting on a foundation, the stepsof splitting the foundation approximately within a predeterminedhorizontal plane by exertion of a uniform lifting action distributed atselected points of two parts of a temporary supporting carriage.

2. The steps in a method of moving buildings resting on a foundation,which consists 1n providing a shiftable foundation, splitting thebuilding foundation within an approximately horizontal plane by exertionof a uniform lifting action at distributed points along two parts ofsaid shiftable foundation tending to raise the upper portion of saidbuilding foundation relative to said shift-able foundation.

The steps in a method of moving buildings which consists in providingtracks uniform lifting` action at distributed points until thefoundation of the building is broken approximately within a horizontalplane and the load becomes sustained by said carriage structure and then.ca-using the controlled travel of said structure in a prescribeddirection on said tracks.

5. The combination adapted for use in moving buildings comprising amovable structure Aand an adjustable device carried by said structureand including' a part adapted to be raised and lowered with reference tosaid structure.

G. The combination adapted for use i moving buildings comprising, aroller trucl a pair of members one of which rests crosswise upon theother and both carried b v said truck, a contrivancc'including partspla-ced above and below said members, and means for 'adjusting saidparts relatively to each other.

7. A structure adapted to exert a lifting action which includes a pairof members one of which gravitationally rests upon the other, together'with a composite yoke comprising a part passed underneath the upper ofsaid members and another part resting upon the lower of said members andmeans for effecting a relative movement between said parts adapted toetiect a relative movement between said members.

8. A structure adapted to exert a lifting action which includes a pairof members one of which gravitationally rests upon the other, together'with a composite yoke comprising a pair of part-s passed imderneath theupper of said members and on opposite sides of the lower of said membersand another pair of parts resting` upon the lowerl of said members onopposite sides of said upper member and means for effecting a separatingmovement between said pairs of parts whereby to raise the upper of saidmembers.

9. A structure adapted for supporting andmoving buildings comprising incombination, a plurality of tracks, a plurality of trucks movable uponeach of said tracks, longitudinal beams resting one on each pair oftrucks which travel on one of said tracks, a cross beam resting uponsaid longitudinal beams,- and means carried by said trucks and adaptedLtok raise one of the sui-mounted elements with respect to another.

10. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings comprisingin combination, a plurality ot' tracks, afplurality of trucks movableupon each of said tracks,

longitudinal beams resting on'a plurality of trucks which are disposedon one track, cross beams resting upon said longitudinal beams, anddevices hung on said longitudinal beams and adapted to raise .acorresponding number of cross beams oli" the longitudinal beams.

1l. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings comprisingin combination, aL plurality of parallel tracks, a plurality of trucksmovable upon each of said tracks, longitudinal beams 'each of whichrests on a plurality of trucks which are disposed to travel on one ofsaid tracks, a cross beam resting upon two of said longitudinal beamswhich are over different tracks, and a contrivance including a pair ofparts resting crosswise on said longitudinal beam on opposite sides ofsaid cross beam together with a pair of parts extending parallel to saidlongitudinal beam and underneath said cross beam and adjustableconnections between said parts adapted to lift said cross beam.

l2. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings comprisingthe combination of a pair of parallel rails, a plurality of trucksmovable upon said rails, vbeams carried by said trucks and projectedthrough holes in the fixed foundation of the building, means including aplurality of elements for filling the spaces between the top of saidbeams and the 'surfaces defining` the tops of said holes and meansassociated with said beams and adapted to raise'said elements withrespect to the beams.

"13. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildingscon'iprising in coinbination, a pair of parallel. rails, a truckincluding` flanged rollers connected therewith and movable upon saidrails, a beam resting on said truck and projected through a hole in thef'xed foundation of the building, another beam restingupon said firstmentioned beam and projected through a distinct hole in the fixedfoundation of the building and means connected with said beams andadapted to raise one with respect to the other.

14. In a contrivance adapted for moving a building, the combination oftracks disposed beneath the building, a roller truck designed to travelon said tracks, a structure carried by said truck, and means for raisingone part of said structure relative to the truck. v

15. The steps in the method of moving buildings resting on a foundationwhich consists in providing a portable foundation under the building`and then splitting the building foundation approximately within anhorizontal plane by exertion of a uniform lifting' action at distributedpoints caused by raising one of two elements, of a number of pairs ofelements of said portable foundation, away from the other element ofeach pair.

16. The method of moving buildings resting on a foundation whichconsists in providing a rollable carrying structure under the buildingand then splitting the building foundation approximately within an hori-Zontal plane by exertion of a lifting adjustnient at distributed pointson said structure thereby concurrently transferring the load to saidrollable structure, and then causing said structure to travel.

17. A method of moving buildings resting on a foundation which comprisesthe step of placing a composite, temporary and movable structureunderneath the building, the step of splitting' the foundationapproximately within a predetermined horizontal plane by exertion of auniform separating` action between pairs of parts of said structuredistributed at selected points of the latter and then actuating saidstructure.

18. The steps in a method of moving buildings resting on a foundationwhich consists in providing under the building to be moved a track and acarriage adapted to travel on said track, splitting the buildingfoundation close to a given horizontal plane by exertion of a liftingaction at distributed points on the traveling foundation caused byraising one of two elements, of a number of pairs of elements of saidfoundation, away from the other element of each pair, said liftingaction tending to separate said building foundation and to transfer theload of the building to said traveling foundation and then causing theload sustaining carriage to travel upon the track.

19. A method of moving buildings which consists in providing tracksthereunder, providing .a carriage structure including flanged rollersconnected therewith and adapted to travel on said tracks, exerting auniform lifting action at distributed points until the foundation of thebuilding is broken approximately within a horizontal plane and the loadbecomes sustained -by said carriage structure and then causing the upperportion of the foundation with its superstructure to be conveyed alongsaid tracks.

Signed by me, this 12th day of December, 1924.

ORION ALEXANDER.

